sorry it took so long to upload. i chose my words carefully, and this is a chapter in which Brock and May talk.
As Ash and Misty approached camp, dinner was ready for them.
May and Brock sat back watching the two eat and eye each other every so often.
"So, Brock," May started, "Do you think they really love each other? I mean, really love. Or is this just one of those passing flings?"
Brock looked down at May and smiled. "It definitely is not a passing fling. I've known these two to be in love since I first met them. I knew they would figure it out eventually. Even when they were arguing about her bike, you see. It was easy to find that spark between them."
May sighed. "Brock, you are a great friend. I love talking to you because you are a great listener. And you know so much about everything."
"Well, you know May, being experienced in every field helps. And you aren't so bad yourself. We did good here, just look at the two of them." Brock pointed across the way at Ash and Misty, who had their heads bent together and were laughing at who knows what.
May and Brock sat in silence each thinking about the couple in front of them. Brock was glad that May was on the trip. He enjoyed having her to talk to. She was much more level headed than the rest of the group. And when a cute girl came by, her and Max kept him in tack. Not that she would ever take the place of Misty pulling his ear or hitting him with her mallet.
May looked up at the eldest of the group. She wished that she could remember a time when she had a better friend, but she couldn't. Truth was, she realized she didn't love Brock like Misty loved Ash. She loved him as a friend and only a friend. Which was fine with her because she loved having someone she could confide in. Someone she could trust. And Brock provided that for all of them.
"May, can I ask you something?" Brock looked to her with a curious gaze.
"Sure, Brock. What is it?" May felt that the eldest member of the group would just ask her to look after them all or spend more time with Misty to keep her in tact, but was not prepared for what came next.
"What happened between you and Brandon?" Brock saw the shock on her young face and was worried he had asked the wrong question. "I'm sorry, May. I shouldn't have asked that." Brock had hung his head and looked away from the girl he was beginning to admire.
"No, its fine. I just haven't thought about it in a while. That's all. You really want to know?" May was quiet and waited to hear Brock's response. When none came she began anyways. "I was young, and I admired him so much. I mistook admiration for love. And looking back now, I see that. I felt that going on a long journey and being the best at my training would allow him to admire me and maybe love me too. I see I was foolish now. But I wont stop training these Pokemon to be beautiful in contests!"
Brock had turned to listen to her story and was impressed at how she was growing up on her own.
"Max wanted to train too, but he was too young until this year. So he followed me while I started my journey and he has the choice to leave and go on his own now. I worry sometimes that I will wake up and he will have left to be on his own." May confessed this to Brock who remained silent and listened to her.
"Can I have some more food, Brock?" Max and Ash asked in unison.
Brock half laughed and half sighed. They were running out of supplies and now they were lost. The map was not proving to be helpful to them either. He knew what he had to do as the eldest.
"Yes, but we need to all sit down and talk about what is going to happen now." He tried to keep the mood light to not let them think that things were going bad.
Turning to May, he wondered if there was more to her story but didn't get the chance to ask.
"Brock, be honest with us." Misty said. "We're lost, and you are worried we wont have enough food, aren't you?"
"I am afraid so, Misty. Very much afraid so." Brock felt like he had let them down. He was supposed to be the older one of the group, to help them all find their way. And he couldn't do that now.
"Brock?" May stood up and walked the short distance to the fire to place an arm around him. "I believe in you. You haven't lead us wrong yet."
Between mouthfuls, Max agreed.
"I have an idea!" Ash stood up triumphantly.
'What is it?" May asked.
"Our Pokemon know these parts pretty well. We could send some out to search for things like landmarks, and towns, or even other people!" Ash felt proud of his idea.
"Oh, Ash! Thats a great idea! But our Pokemon are not native to this area." Misty knew how to handle her boyfriend. Or she hoped she did.
Ash hung his head and agreed with Misty.
"Theres nothing saying that we cant give it a shot!" May announced suddenly.
"Staru, go!" Misty tossed her Pokeball out and Staru began running to the water to search for any clues at all.
"Beautifly! Come out and search the skies!" May threw her Pokeball into the sky.
"Vulpix Go search the area!" Brock let Vulpix out of its captive space as well.
"Thanks guys!" Ash felt revived again and sent Pikachu out with Vulpix to search the area.